SMALLVILLE: THE DARKEST HOUR BEFORE DAWN
by thewomanwhosoldtheworld
Summary: A 3part one-shot, the return of Lex, the death of Chloe and stepping out of the shadows, Clois, Oliver/Dinah, featuring The Batman set after season 10


Summary: A 3part one-shot, the return of Lex, the death of Chloe and stepping out of the shadows, Clois, Oliver/Dinah, featuring Bruce Wayne set after season 10

**SMALLVILLE: THE DARKEST HOUR BEFORE DAWN**

**Part One**

**Chloe is dead...**

Her body shakes uncontrollably and for the second time in her life Lois Lane cries for her mother. Oddly whenever emotion has overpowered her defences in life her mother's death would be the first thing she thinks about.

Because the only memory she has of her mother other then the tapes she filmed for her before she died is her holding Lois in her arms after she broke her arm when she was young.

She wishes she had her mother now... she wishes she had Chloe...

But none of those things are going to happen.

Then she has Clark, he is her bright beacon in a storm that seems to never end in her darkest hour of grief.

He is a bright beacon for the world, and it's now when she needs to be distracted the most does she focus on him and pushes him to become the hero that the world needs him to be.

She sees the sadness in his eyes, yet he stays strong for her even though he has just lost his best friend.

Because he is everything she needs, he is everything the world needs and when she can be she is everything he needs.

She can feel the darkness lifting; Chloe changed her and Clark's life, now Clark is going to change the world.

Her ringing mobile brings Lois out of her own thoughts; she rolls over in bed groaning.

"Lane get in here."

"Perry? What..."

"Lois I have got the interview of a life time for you, you'll never guess who has come back from the dead..."

**Part Two**

**Lex is back...**

Oliver Queen couldn't have imagined his life today five years ago.

Fighting side by side with a man from another planet against forces that threaten to destroy the very good in humanity.

Five years ago the death of his parents was that much fresher; five years ago he didn't know that Lionel Luthor had murdered them.

Five years ago he wouldn't have out right though about how he could kill Lex and get away with it. Oliver grits his teeth as he holds the paper in his hands, snarling he throws it to the floor it's only then does he realize someone is in the room with him.

Dinah Lance wraps her arms around Oliver from behind.

"You know what we learnt from the first round with Lex?" She asks softly, Oliver closes his eyes briefly letting his anger subside and then he turns in her arms to face her.

"Oh hey pretty bird! You surprised me..." He says with a smile and she rolls her eyes, a cheek smile now touching her lips as well.

"Nice try Ollie but you know I can see right through you..."

_You're right; you're the only one that ever really could..._

"Anger doesn't help the situation, when you go out to fight him I want you to have a clear heart, a clear mind." She says, her right hand placed firmly on his chest. He smiles again and looks down at her belly.

"So have you decided on any names yet?" He asks putting Lex out of his mind, he doesn't want to think about him when he is with her.

"I don't know... I've always liked Connor for a boy..."

"Sounds prefect." He replies.

He couldn't have imagined his life five years ago, there is no way in hell anybody could have convinced him he would be happy, truly, deep belly shaking laughter happiness, the kind of happiness that only comes along once in a life time.

**Part Three**

**Stepping out of the shadows...**

Clark Kent smiles as he watches the police close in on the criminals, proudly he speeds up to the top of Gotham Bank. He doesn't usually stray this far from home but it had been a quiet night on patrol in Metropolis.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Clark steps back from a roaring voice echoing from the shadows. He waits for the mystery person to step out into the light, his jaw drops when he sees a man dressed as a bat step out. He looks menacing in his costume, this is by no means a party trick, Clark readies himself to fight.

"I saved those men and women, I'm The Blur." He explains, Clark thinks he sees a small grin on the Bat's face.

"The Blur? Appropriately named I've heard."

"Who are you?" Clark answers back.

"I'm The Batman."

"The Batman? Some think you're a myth." Clark had heard the stories of The Batman that would appear from the shadows and attack those that would prey on the defenceless leaving bloodied and bruised criminals for the police in its wake.

No one believed it.

"You haven't answered my question Blur, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I told you..."

"No, this is my city, get out!" He growls.

"Look I'll go but if you ever want some help, if you ever need help you know where to find me, there are many others like you." Clark says The Batman smiles again but there is no joy in his smile.

"Right, I work better alone."

"In the shadows? No one even knows you exist." Clark says trying to draw a reaction from this man.

It works, The Batman closes the distance between them in three quick steps, and he grabs Clark by his shirt and tears the emblem off his shirt.

"Like you? How self righteous you are, speeding from crime to crime, invincible like a god yet hiding at night from the faceless evil that breeds like a virus through our streets... how dare you? Get out of this city and never return." He growls, Clark can see the rage vibrating off him, he can't look into his dark eyes anymore.

"You know you're right? I'll consider what you have said but please also consider what I've told you. Alone we are strong but together we can be everything I know you wish you could do in this world. That we all wish we could do in this world." Clark says turning away; he takes one giant leap off the building.

_Invincible like a god... hiding at night... _Clark knows what he must do now, The batman is right, he can't hide anymore. How can he ever be the hero the world needs if they can't even see him?

Clark stops before he enters Metropolis and turns, time to visit the Fortress.

Day is starting to break as he heads towards the Fortress and Clark can feel it, the tide is starting to turn, it won't be long now until the world sees what he is and in turn he hopes he can show them what they can really be with or without him, or them.

Heroes.


End file.
